Our Broken World: A series of ever-changing opinions

Why we Should Listen

     Remember the last senior-aged person you talked to? Maybe a grandparent, friend of the family, teacher, mentor, caretaker? Did you stop to remember that they had a life before they had to sit around and be careful with themselves for fear that falling will result in a severely broken bone?

     I am lucky to have known so many individuals who have lived lives that just seemed so full, holding the past, present, and hopes for the future of others behind wise eyes. If you have ever been lucky enough to sit down and listen to someone's life story, I can grantee that you will be fascinated, amused, and astounded on how many life experiences they have lived through. These amazing people (though sometimes stubborn, rude, or just unpleasant in general) have been around to see change, and you could be the one to enact it. We could be the ones to enact it. Generation through generation, there has been change, the only constant in the world. From chimpanzees to humans, reins and revolutions, we have been through a lot in an impossibly short amount of time, and when history is condensed as such, it only makes sense that such people would get to see some of that change for themselves.

     People say we must look into the past to find our future, so what better way to do that then by talking to the people who have been part of the past the longest? We can learn so much from these people; how to resolve conflict, stop wars before they even start, and find sturdy foundations that have been successful in the past to build a tall structure on. These are just a few examples of what we can use to help accomplish our goals in the future. Try to imagine what could happen if humans came to an understanding and listened to all they had to say, even if you feel the need to roll your eyes at their back-seat driving or refusal to get someone to help re-shingle the roof or to bring that tree down in their front yard, insisting they do it themselves (yes, all of this has happened, and I'm just naming one person I know). What could we accomplish if we set our minds to do something so simple as listen?

     Many seniors, - interesting people, people that may have served in the army, or traveled frequently when they were young - go home to an empty house, or trailer, or some who live in group housing and stay their all the time. They have never told their story to anyone because it does not seem as anyone would take interest, but I'm sure they have so much to say. No one just wants to live a life, and look back on themselves and see the person that they used to know, the person that they used to be, and know that they will never be that again, and feel no one cares or ever will. I have seen this happen to many people, namely my grandpa from my mother's side, who sits around in his trailer, alone and depressed, retired and refusing to eat healthy because all he is doing now is waiting to die.

     His cat is his only company, and he can't go to all the places that he used to get his energy from, speaking to the McDonald's employees from the place he became a regular at, and he himself has even said that all he was living for prior to covid was the chance to see his grandchildren every few months, and now that has been taken away from him, and he just does not think he can do it anymore. I imagine that many others who have lived their lives already feel this way as well, only kept alive just to exist, and for no other reason; no passion, no drive, just existing.

     If you know someone like this, maybe plan to call them. We can learn so much from that generation, I know, and one day, we will become that old generation, seated in an old chair and staring blankly at the television, not really caring of the world going around us, for it will all be over soon. This may seem a selfish thing to do, yes, especially when they still vote as an active citizen in most countries, but justifiable, nonetheless. They may not see a reason in anything, anymore, no hope foe the future, and if all they do is just sit around with no one they care for, of course they don't care about the future of the country.

     Try and make them see that there still is something worthy of protecting, the future of the world, even if they may not be around to see it. People loved to be listened too, and listening means learning. Have a discussion. Maybe they will learn something, too. Ask once, and listen. That's all you have to do.